Paul's Devotion to Prayer

One of the themes that we see in the epistles of Paul is his devotion to prayer.  He gave this simple counsel to the people of Thessalonica: “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).  Similarly, he told the Ephesians that they should be “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:18).  Throughout his epistles we see that he was indeed devoted to this principle of praying always, especially for the people that he had taught and loved so much.  He told the Romans, “Without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers” (Romans 1:9).  He used the same phrase in his epistle to Timothy:  “Without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day” (2 Timothy 1:3).  He spoke of his gratitude that the Thessalonians had received his word in similar language: “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 2:13).  He told them, “Wherefore also we pray always for you” (2 Thessalonians 1:11).  He wrote of his desire to visit this people, saying to them that he was “night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face” (1 Thessalonians 3:10).  He also wrote of how he prayed with deep gratitude for the Colossians: “We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you” (Colossians 1:3).  A few verses later he emphasized again his diligence in praying for the people of Colossae: “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you” (Colossians 1:9).  Paul prayed “night and day” and “without ceasing” and he “prayed always”; he was I think the best example that we see in the scriptures of someone following the Savior’s counsel recorded in Luke: “Watch ye therefore, and pray always” (Luke 21:36).  One of the most poignant accounts of prayer in the scriptures is the record of Paul’s farewell to the people of Ephesus.  He was traveling to Jerusalem and he met with the people of Ephesus on his way, telling them, “I know that ye all… shall see my face no more” (Acts 20:25).  After warning and exhorting them, “He kneeled down, and prayed with them all.  And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul’s neck, and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more” (Acts 20:36-38).  It must have been a sight to see as this great group of people all kneeled down, likely on the shore as in Acts 21:5, and devoted themselves together to the Lord.  As always, Paul loved this people dearly and showed through prayer and deed just how much they meant to him.  Paul loved and prayed with an incredible intensity, and he is a model for us all to follow.